The transmission of video signals via computer networks has become more pervasive as the Internet has become faster and more ubiquitous. Consequently, more video content providers are choosing to distribute videos online rather than selling and renting Digital Video Discs in traditional retail outlets. As the picture quality and resolution of electronically distributed videos improve, however, the amount of processing required by computer video distribution networks has correspondingly increased.
One factor that has increased the amount of video processing is multi-view video content. For example, a multi-view video bitstream may contain two views: one designated for the right eye and one designated for the left eye. Multi-view video techniques are also used in situations where it is useful to have multiple (more than two) views, for example, a sporting event or a live play. Such multi-view video content is implemented by encoding multiple views in the same video bitstream, using, for example a multi-view coding standard such as Multi-view Video Coding (MVC), which is the multi-view extension of the H.264/AVC, specified in Annex H of the H.264/AVC specification. Another factor that has increased the amount of video processing is scalable video content, wherein different qualities, frame rates, and/or spatial resolutions, both standard definition (SD) and high definition (HD) video signals, can be represented in the same video bitstream.
One of the consequences of having multi-view and/or scalable video contents is that the transmission and reception of such contents can be very bandwidth and processing intensive. Furthermore, not all clients who receive such video content require all of the content of the transmitted video signals. For example, a user with a single standard resolution monitor does not need all of the features provided by HD or three dimensional video signals.
What are needed are systems and methods to more efficiently deliver video content to clients.